Clamp



A. B. PEARSON.

CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 15. 1920.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

FIG. 1

VENTQR AXEL B. PEARSON, MUNI-IALL, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application filed October 15, 1920. Serial No. 417,231.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AXnL B. PEARSON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of ll'lunhall, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful improvement in Clamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof. U

My invention relates to clamps for securing sheet material in place and relates particularly to clamps or holders for bed clothing and for other related purposes.

The object of my invention is to provide a clamp of simple and rugged construction which may be easily and quickly placedin clamping position, positively locked against.

accidental displacement, and readily re leased when desired. H

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a bed having my improved clamp attached to the bed clothing; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the first position of the clamp while being placed in position; Fig. 3 is a similar vertical sectional view showing the second position of the clamp; Fig. 4i is another vertical sectional view showing the final position of the clamp as in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional'view showing the'operation of the clamp.

As shown in the drawing, my device comprises a U-shaped supporting member having parallel arms 2 connected by a transverse arm 3 Wl'lltll serves as a pivot for the other portions or" the device. Each of the arms 2 is provided with a hook -l for attachment to a bed spring or other suitable support.

Pivotally mounted on the transverse arm 3 of the U-shaped supporting member are two cooperating clamping loops 5 and 6. The loop 5 is mounted directly on the arm 3 by means of eyes 7 'iormed at its ends while the loop 6 is attached to the arm 3 by means of an auxiliary U-shaped loop 8 which has parallel side arms 9 formed into eyes 10 for attachment to the arm 3. The ends of the loop 6 are bent as shown at 11, and

. are formed into eyes 12 which loosely surround the end portion of the auxiliary loop 8.

.A locking member 13 of elongated U- shape is mounted on the member 3 between the ends of the auxiliary loop 8 and for this purpose is provided'with elongated eyes 14. s acer 15 extends between the parallel sides of the loop 13 and holds its arms rigidly apart.

In operation as a holder for bed clothing, the hooks 4 are attached to a convenient part of the bed spring 16, the clamping loops 5 and 6 are separated and a portion oi the bed clot-hing is inserted between the loops as shownin Fig. 2. The loop 6 is then moved beyond and over the loop 5 and is then carried back lengthwise and downward into theposition shownin Fig. 3, with the arms of the loop 6 bearing tightly on the arms of the loop 5. This downward movement of the loop 6 is conveniently effected by using the locking member 13 as a handle.

5 shows the manner inwhich this movement takes place, the eyes 14 of the memberlii acting as a lever against the end portion ofthe auxiliary hook with the member 3 area fulcrum. It will be observed that in the course of this movement the auxiliary loop 8 moves pivotally on the arm 3 and carries the ends of the loop 6 down and across the pivot arm 3, so that when the loops are in their clamping position, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the pivot of the loop 6 is on the same side of the loop 5 as the bight ofthe loop 6 This forms a pos t ve lock for the loop 6 and prevents relative lengthwise movement of these loops. Therefore, the. material clamped between the loops cannot be pulled out by straight lengthwise pull, and in fact isclamped more tightly the harder it is pulled. At the same time,the material will not be torn even if it is vigorously pulled, since the clamping loops engage a large surface of the material. The clamp, howevenyields somewhat when the bed clothes are pulled, since the clamp is attached directly to the bed spring.

In order to insure positively that the clamping loops shall not he accidentally separated, the end loops of the locking member 13 are thrust down upon the auxiliary loop as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and the outer end of the locking member rests tightly against the material at the bight of the clamping loop 5. In this position of the clamp it is impossibleto move the clamping loops relative to each other but when it is desired to release the. clamp, this may be easily and quickly done bymoving the lockingmember lengthwise to release the auxiliaryloop 8, which may then be raised to release the clamping loop 6 and this clamping loop may be moved lengthwise of the loop 5 and up over its end.

The locking loop 13 may be omitted if desired, since the locking effect produced by the auxiliary loop when it'carries the pivot of the loop 6 across the pivot of the loop 5 is suiiicient to prevent the clamp from being released in ordinary circumstances. I prefor, however, to make use of the locking member 12 as this insures the security of the clamp, even if the clamp is thrown over to bring the loop S'against a stationary part of the bed, which otherwise might force the loop 8 outward and so release the clamp.

The clearance between the ends of the loops 5 and 6 at the beginning of the clamping movement, as shown in Fig. 5, is made suiiiciently wide to admit any usual thickness of bed clothing, and the amount oi, this clearance does not change when the clamp is finally closed and locked, as will be seen from Figs. 3 and fl, the grip of the clamp being exerted between the sides of the loops 5 and 6.

My improved clamp is of special advantage when used as a holder for bed clothing. When the loops 4 at the ends of the arms 2 are hooked over the bed spring, the clamping loops are raised into vertical or inclined position and adapt themselves to the neces sary angle. Four oi'the clamps are preferably employed, two at each side or the bed. When not in use, the clamping loops may be folded down on the U-shaped supporting member and the clamp is thus entirely out of sight until it is required for use, when it may be easily and quickly adjustedin the manner described above.

It will be observed that the clamping loops 5 and 6, together with the locking loop 13, constitute a unit which may be freely revolved around the supporting arm 3 without unlockingthe clamping loops. This is a feature of advantage because it frequently happens that the clamp must be raised or thrown completely over to conform-to movement of the material that is clamped. It will also be evident that this unit 'formed by the two clamping loops and the locking loop may, when the clamp is used as a holder for bed-clothing, be pivoted directly on a convenient portion of the bed spring whi.h then takes the place of the supporting-member 3 and the arms 2. This attachment to the bed spring may be temporary or permanent, as circumstances may require. r

With the exception of the small spacin member 15, all of the parts of my improved clamp are made of wire and are of simple and inexpensive construction.

This clamp is also adapted for use as a garment supporter, the locking member 13 and the hooked arms 2 being omitted and the remaining parts being suitably reduced iary loop.

in size. It is also adapted for use as a buckle for wide straps and bands, in wh1ch case the loops are reduced to the necessary size and one end or" the band is attached to the auxiliary loop 8, the other end being clamped between the loops 5 and 6 in the manner described above.

While I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention and the special uses to which I now propose to apply it, it is to be understood that various changes in the form and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from my invention and also that my invention includes all uses to which the clamp is adapted, no limitations being imposed on my invention except such as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A clamp comprising a supporting memher, two cooperating and pivotally movable wire clamping loops and an auxiliary wire loop having its ends pivoted co-axially with one of the said clamping loops and upon the said supporting member, the said auxiliary loop forming a pivot for the other clamping loop.

2. A clamp comprising a supporting member, two cooperating and pivotally movable wire clamping loops, an auxiliary wire loop having its ends pivoted co-axially with one of the said loops and upon the said supporting member, the said auxiliary loop forming a pivot for the other clamping loop, the clamping loop supported by the said auxiliary loop having its ends bent whereby, when the said loops are fitted together in clamping position the pivot and the bight of the loop that is supported on the said auxiliary loop are on the same side of the other clamping loop.

8. A clamp comprising two coiiperating clamping loops, one of the said loops being adapted to fit over the other in clamping position, an auxiliary loop pivoted co-axially with one of the said loops andformlng a pivot for the other clamping loop, and a locking member pivoted co-axially with the said auxiliary member and adapted to slidably engage the said auxiliary loop and one of the said clamping loops and to thereby prevent relative lengthwise movement of the said clamping loops.

4i. A clampcomprising a substantially U- shaped supporting member, a clamping loop pivotally carried by the said U-shaped memher, an auxiliary loop also pivotally carried by the said U-shaped member, a second clamping loop pivotally carried by the said auxiliary loop and a locking member comprising a loop of elongated U-shape hav ing its ends formed into elongated eyes surrounding the end of the said" supporting member between the ends of the said auxil- 5. A clamp comprising a substantially U- shaped supporting member having hooks formed at its ends and having a straight intermediate portion, a clamping loop having its ends loosely pivoted at the ends of the intermediate portion of the said support, an auxiliary loop having its ends pivoted between the ends of the said clamping loop, a second clamping loop having its ends bent and loosely pivoted on the said auxiliary loop, and a locking member of elongated U- shape having its ends formed into elongated eyes surrounding the said intermediate portion of the supporting member between the ends of the said auxiliary loops.

6. A clamp comprising two cooperating clamping loops, one of the said loops being adapted to fit over the other in clamping position, an auxiliary loop pivoted coaxially with one of the said loops and forming a pivot for the other clamping loop, a locking member pivoted coaxially with the said auxiliary member and adapted to prevent relative movement of the said clamping loops and means for pivotally mounting the loops and locking member as a unit, whereby the said loops may be moved pivotally without unlocking.

In testimony whereof, I, the said AXEL B. PEARSON, have hereunto set my hand.

AXEL B. PEARSON. Witnesses:

R. D. BRoWN, J OHN F. WILL. 

